The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-07
On the Sergeant st-Arms Once Frus'
trated by q Timely Discovery
Of the scheme.
YELLOW FEVER SPREADING AT
KEY WEST.
The New Caledonia C0nvicts to be
Watched For In San Francisco-
In Honor of Wheeler.
THE NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE
COMMITTEE or TIE
Knights Of Labor Submit the Report
OF Their Labor During the
Last Short Session.
ESPECIAL TO THE APPEAL.l


BUREAU OF THE MEMPHIS ArPEAL,
No. ola THIRTEENTH STREET, WASH
INGroN, June 6.-An ingenious at
tempt 10 commit a forgery on the
Arms's Office Of the IL ouse
Ct Representatives was perpeiIa!ed a
short time ago. IL was fortunately
discovered in time 10 prevent any loss. \
About three weeks ago a letter was
received at the Office dated from New
York, and bearing the New York post
mark. 1t purported to come from
Congressman s. s. Cox, and as he is
known to ufe private secretary the
body was written in one handwriting
and the signature in an entirely diff.
ferent one. 1t asked that the sum OF
S247 be paid to the order CT Mr..
Leach, clerk at the Riggs House, in
payment of his Mr.. Cox's) account
there. Ten days after a letter came
signed in Mr. Leatch's name and en-
closing a receipt for $247. This note,
which was brought by district mes
senQer, stated that the writer sup
DO ed that Mr.. Leedom had by this
time received an intimation from Don.
gresham Cox that MS was authorized
to pay the sum mentioned to Mr..
Leatch, and asked that the money
should be sent by the bearer, or, ii
that was not convenient, that q
check should be made out payable
to the bearer. The euspicions
OF both Mr.. Lsedom and the paying
teller of the Office were, however,
aroused by the fact that this method
OF doing business WIS entirely unusual
with Mr.. Cox, who was accustomed
when paying his bills to give a check
for the amount due. Accordingly Mr..
Leedom sat down to write note tn
Mr.. Leatch, saying that be could not
pay the bill until the cad OF the
month, which was only two days dis
tant. While he was engaged in writ
ing THE, however, another note came
also signed in Mr.. Leatch's hand, ssk'
ing that the money be not paid to the
messenger, as the writer himself would
be mp at the Office and get it in person
az he did not want any one to know
about the matter since 1t was entirely
a personal affair between Mr.. Cox anC
himself. A visit to the Riggs House
soon showed that some one WAS Try
ing to impereonate Mr.. Leatch, and
telegram to Mr.. Cox revealed the fac
that he had never sent any such lette
as that imputed 10 him. Steps wer,
Immediately taken to secure the arres
of the impostor, but up to the presen
they have been iruitles1. Ii there ha(
, not been some unusually sharp me
r in the Sergeant at Arms's Office, tn
, plausible story would have cost tn
,, office q nice little cum.
This is the third time within III
last year that attempts have bee
, made by means Of forgeries 10 seCur
government cash from the same ottic'
II is nearly q year ego since chec
WAS presented by the runner OF ban
/ ia this city for something over $40
: The signature was very clums
forgery of Gen. Longs name, and
was at once detected. The next q
0 tempt occurred two or three month
|, $50 and Congressman Houk's nan
A WAS the one used. The forger in tn
;, instance was an ingenious tello'
u After writing out the check he mat
" it appear as though it had BET
il handled q good deal. Then he wro
a on the beck the following: "Jud
II Houk-What In HI do you mean
II drawing on ne? You know "
'e haven't got id cent coming
q you. ]. II. Leedham."
a Notwithstanding this highly oril
W nal Endorsement and the fact that N
q Leedom's name WAS spelled wrong,t
% forger induced some tradesmsn to b
D. the check, which WAS for a comfor
y BILE sum, and ces ed out.